The World's Fastest Indian (2005)

Motorcycle Fiery

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Anthony Hopkins totally immerses himself in the role of Burt Munro, an elderly New Zealand charmer who -- in real life -- spent half his years rebuilding a 1920 Indian motorcycle. In 1967 he traveled to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and set a land speed record for his particular engine class. Writer/director Roger Donaldson (Thirteen Days, The Recruit) chronicles this journey in biopic-lite, giving Burt little dramatic hiccups every so often and watching him overcome them with nothing more than charisma and guts. Fortunately, Hopkins is up to the task, and it's his most fully rounded performance in years. Many other good actors get lost in the shuffle, with not much more to do than to react to Hopkins' showboating, but The World's Fastest Indian's unshakable good nature eventually rubs off on everyone.